Woodlawn neighbors raise concerns over RV encampment; tenets say there's nowhere else to go
Last month, the NYPD cracked down on a similar RV encampment along Bronx Boulevard, towing nearly 100 vehicles and issuing summonses to dozens more without proper plates.
Woodlawn neighbors say they have had enough of a growing mobile home encampment along Jerome Avenue, raising concerns about illegal dumping and quality-of-life issues.
But for 57-year-old Camille, one of those vehicles is home.
“I’ve been living along Jerome Ave about three months now,” Camille told News 12 over the phone, while away from her RV.
At least five other RVs line the same stretch of road. Many are powered by gas generators — an expense Camille says runs her about $160 a week.
“This lifestyle is not cheap,” she said.
It’s also not legal. Last month, the NYPD cracked down on a similar RV encampment along Bronx Boulevard, towing nearly 100 vehicles and issuing summonses to dozens more without proper plates. Violators were cited for keeping mobile homes parked in the same spot for more than 24 hours and for illegally dumping sewage into the street.
Still, some of the makeshift homes along Jerome Avenue — including a converted school bus outfitted with cameras and solar panels — appear settled in place.
“I’m trying to keep my head above water until I can figure it out,” Camille said.
While she understands neighbors’ concerns about sanitation and safety, Camille says entering a shelter is not an option because she refuses to give up her pets.
“I went with the RV because I’m not going to lose my dogs or my cats,” she said.
Camille is now calling on the city to create designated spaces where people living in mobile homes can park legally, with access to electricity and sewage hookups — instead of being pushed from one neighborhood to the next.
For now, the RVs remain parked along Jerome Avenue, leaving neighbors and residents alike waiting to see what the city will do next.
